After 11 days, here are some reflections from the teachers in the Active Learning Classrooms:

“The circle allows students to look at each other in the eye. They feel more comfortable sharing things. When they are in a circle, every kid is in the front row.”

“It takes a lot of pressure off the teacher to ‘teach’. It makes education more interesting because I can think of learning activities for the students instead of how to explain a specific topic.”

“Discussions in a circle works better b/c of eye contact and they can see each other. I’m not the middle of it, they are the middle of it.”

“With the regular track guys, being able to move chairs & stand has helped them. It helps them release that nervous energy - which they take out on the chair and not on video games. Movement doesn’t bother me any more. I mix up the groups almost every day, which helps them interact better.”

“Before class they were using the whiteboards to go over problems together. The tables make it so easy to ask for help from peers. Because of the freedom the space provides, I’m motivated to create different types of worksheets that allow for better discussions.”